Resume
of the Martial Arts for Jeffrey D. Beish(revised October 13, 2015)

What a Difference four decades
make. Getting Older is no Fun!

My love for sports goes back to
my grade school years in Charlotte, North Carolina during the
1940’s. One of my fondest memories of those years was
when taking my younger brother to the swimming pool at the
local YMCA and also being a Cub Scout. While at the YMCA
pool during a late spring weekend I had to stop swimming and
find a rest room in the main building. I found myself lost and
then accidentally wondered into a room and watched a small
oriental man demonstrate what seemed to me then as some kind of
magic. He would throw others down and disarm them -- with
little or no apparent effort. There were a few other kids my
age there, so the man asked if I would like to join them. It
was my first knowledge of the little known and unappreciated
art of Jujitsu and/or Judo; rarely seen in many regions of
these United States.

My first lessons in the Martial
Arts began at 11 years of age. So, my grade school years
consisted of afternoon swims, Jujitsu or Judo, movies on
Saturdays (9 cents to get in), school and laying out in the
yard gazing up at the stars. A full life of a boy!
This was a time never to forget – May 1952 through April 1953
-- my life in the Martial Arts began.

Before finishing sixth grade we
moved to Greensboro, NC where I finished grade school and moved
on up to Jr. High. There was a wrestling class available after
school hours so I joined in and found that one of the coaches
was a Judo player as well. I continued with sports in Jr.
High and played a little league baseball, a little league
football, school wrestling team, did a lot of yard work for
people for money ($2 to cut a yard) -- and Martial Arts at the
Methodist Church we attended. It was Judo this time, but, not
as it is seen today. The Judo instructor was also the Boy Scout
master at the church. Judo practice was only two or three
times a month during that period; however, that ended when we
moved to Tennessee where I began high school. While I was far
from mastering Judo in those first years I did learn some
fundamentals that lasted over my career.

In 1955 we moved to Knoxville,
Tennessee. Because a few of us rowdy school guys got into some
trouble we were required to join the Boy’s Club and take part
in the activities. One of the trainers there was a black
belt in Judo and took me under his wings. He was one of the Air
Force people who had been sent to Japan for training at the
Kodokan in the early
1950’s and after he was discharged came home to find no jobs
available, so he took over activities at the Boy’s Club.
Judo practice was in those days when ever we showed up or a
couple times per week. In between football, wrestling,
girls, hot rod cars and everything else I managed to be
promoted to Yonkyu (4th class white belt). I used an oversized
Levi blue-jean jacket without buttons as my Judo
uniform.

After graduating from high
school I worked at various jobs and began the process of
joining the U.S. Air Force in late 1959. During the late
1950’s a deep recession was going on and jobs were hard to
find, especially for a high school graduate without fulfilling
his draft obligation (military duty). So, I opted to join
the U.S. Air Force (My
Career) and while boot camp early in 1960 I met a Nisei
(second generation Japanese-American) Judo competitor by the
name of Masato J. Yamashita. Masato and I practiced together
for over two years at Lackland AFB, Texas, Chanute AFB,
Illinois, and finally Naha AB, Okinawa. His abilities in
Judo were very well known both in the U.S. and the Far East. He
later became one of the youngest men in the USA to obtain Godan
(5th degree).

One of our drill instructors at
Lackland AFB, Texas was SSGT Linan, was one of the black belt
Judo instructors who had obtained his rank at the Kodokan in
the early 1950’s. After the few weeks of basic training
(boot camp) we could begin to talk to the drill instructor (TI)
without shaking in our boots and he would let us workout with
the Judo club he ran. We still had to be military! Mas bought
me my first Judogi! They were like $2 back then. After
several weeks of training we were transferred to attend
technical school at Chanute AFB, Illinois.

The Chanute Judo Club was great;
with 20 or 30 students there and we had plenty of Judo activity
for off duty times. Mas promoted me to Sankyu (3rd brown belt)
there. Once a short, wide Judoka came to visit our Judo
class and was introduced as SSgt. Rick Mertens (deceased,
03/1999). Rick was active in the Air Force Judo
Association so recruited club members in the organization. We
joined the Air
Force Judo Association (AFJA) then I would remain a regular
member until 1969 when I became a life member. The early
membership fee was only $2 a year and the first life
membership was only $100.

Simulator Maintenance School Chanute
AFB, IL. Yamashita standing second from left, me
kneeling third from left.

After more than six months of school we were
called upon for overseas duty on Naha Air Base, Okinawa; a
small island 600 miles south of Tokyo, Japan. Mas and I first
had to help move some equipment from Ashiya AB, Japan to
Okinawa, so we stayed there for a couple months and then flew
to Naha AB, Okinawa. After returning Okinawa we were
accidentally bused to the Kadena AFB transient barracks.
We spent several hours downtown in Koza drinking and having
fun, but upon returning to the barracks a red-faced Master
Sergeant was waiting of us, not happy either, to take us to
Naha Air Base. We made friends on the way down and found
out he was leaving for the States soon, so was not too mad at
us.

Right after we arrived at Naha
AB we began practicing Judo at the base gym where they had a
stack of tatami in a corner, but no Judo people to be
found. Masato and I would workout every afternoon after
work and as time passed airmen would drop in and join the Judo
activities. After a while we established the Naha AB Judo
Club with around 20 members and had a patch made featured in
the image above. Some members had Judo experience and led
us down to Naha where we began to workout at several Judo
dojos, including the Naha Police Dojo that had some high
ranking Judo sensei to help us out. In those days we
considered the Okinawa Judo as very good and wondered why they
did not participate in tournaments in Japan or other countries
in the Far East. The only answer we got was that they
were not interested in sport Judo as they practiced Judo as
more of a Martial Art.

Since we would drop in to work out at the Naha
Police Dojo occasionally I continued to go there to practice
and learn from the black belts. Of course, we met and
practiced with many other American GI’s from different military
services and some would become life long friends. Also,
this was one of the dojos that sponsored a variety of different
types of shiai (contests); from regular championships, rank
promotion batsugan and kohaku shiai. There were no
regular Judo classes, per say, but one could just drop in any
time and receive training and instruction. Former "Butoku-den" hall was built in 1939 as martial arts stadium of Okinawa. In 1989, it was dismantled due to aging.

Photo of the Naha Police Dojo or Ryukyu
Police Academy (Butokuden) in the late 1950’s or early 1960’s.
Not sure when this photo was taken; Police Headquarters
was in a nearby modern office building in the late
1950’s.

In 1961 my best friend and
sensei, Masato Yamashita, and I were at Naha AB, Okinawa and
had won our places in the 313th Air Division, 5th Air Force and
PACAF Judo championships, then to the All Air Force
championships and then 1961 AAU championships. At the time Mas
was a couple of pounds heavier than me, so he had to fight in
the next division up. Later he lost the 2-lb for the All
Air Force championships and went into the 140-lb class.
Unfortunately for me Jim Jarvis and I got stuck in those awful
rubber mats and my left knee was injured, so I was out from
then on.

1961 National Judo Team Champions -
Eleven man U.S. Air Force team wins team championship
for the first time at the 9th National A.A.U. Judo
Championships. TOP: Yamashita is kneeling at third from
right. BOTTOM: Sitting, L2R: Jim Jarvis, Mas Yamashita,
Sam Boone.

Striving to learn more about this fascination, I signed up at
the Ryukyu University in Naha, Okinawa to attend a special Judo
Class in the Theory of Judo, Self Defense, and the Art of
Resuscitation under the direction of Professor Miyasato and a
gentleman who was recognized as the highest ranking Judoman
(hachidan) on the island -- whose name is long
forgotten.

The University of the Ryukyu
as it was in the early 1960’s. Judo and Kappo classes
held in building indicated by arrow.

On various dates between 1960 and
1962 I spent many week-ends in Japan either visiting or
participating in Judo tournaments. Judo shiai on Okinawa was
a weekly affair and I would participate in a tournament every
few weeks if and when time permitted. I would spend a few
hours in Judo class at the Kodokan Judo Institute in Tokyo or
at the Tokyo Police Judo Training Center.

CENTER: The Kodokan as it was in
before 1958. CENTER: The Kodokan in 1960 – 1962
and RIGHT: Judo Institute in Tokyo Japan as it was in
1958.

In
August 1961, Mas and I stayed at the Kodokan for five weeks
to attend the
SAC/ARDCCombative Measures
course at Kodokan (August 1961). The course was also
open to PACAF experienced Judoka, Air Policemen and physical
conditioning unit personnel. While Mas and I were not
officially qualified to attend the course our friend and
sensei at the Kadena AFB Judo Dojo, Richard Whitcher
(sandan), managed to get us into the program with the Kadena
Air Police squadron. The course was under the direction
of the Kodokan’s International Instructor of the Kodokan,
ProfessorSumiyuki
Kotani, Hachidan (8th degree
then), who was promoted to Judan (10th degree) in
1984.

Sumiyuki Kotani sensei

NOTE: I ran across an old interview article in a 1978
American Judoman that was an interview of Kotani sensei and
it listed his promotions. Here is the list of
Kotani, Sumiyuki sensei promotions: Shodan
(1922), Nidan (1923), Sandan (1925), Yodan (1925), Godan
(1927), Rokudan (1932), Shichidan (1937), Hatchidan (1945),
Kudan (1962) and Judan (1984). Kotani sensei
taught me Judo at the Kodokan in the early 1960’s and the
last time I saw him was sometime in 1965 or 66 when he was
touring Air Force bases in the USA. He should go down
in history as a special person.

Then my best friend and teacher
left the service in early 1962 to return to his home in
California. After decades of searching for information
about Masato nothing to date has been discovered. I wrote
to the VA and Air Force records department but they did not
help. With only a few of Yamashita’s Judo club members
that stayed around we were without a real sensei at the dojo,
so it was not long until activities of our club slowed down to
nothing. After Mas left I spent more time studying karate and
less time practicing Judo, so my Judo skills began to wane.

Later on an Okinawan named
Uehara took over the Naha Judo Club class. He was All-Okinawa
Judo Champion for several years before then. He was
like a human brick; nothing could move him. We would
occasionally drink beer with him at the Airman’s Club and we
became friends. Along with some of the other members
two black belts joined the club, Bernard "Butsy"
Wrye and James "Jimmy" Hatch where we practiced
several nights per week and trained together for weeks for
major tournaments. It is interesting to note that
Butsy and Jim were former students of Robby Robinson, who I
will write about later on in the section below of the time
after I retuned the USA.

Also, we Naha members would
work out at the Kadena Judo Club with Ronald Johnson (Shodan),
Richard Whitcher (Sandan), Bob Coffey (Nidan), Preston Pugh
(Nidan), Edward Kirby (Ikkyu), Leroy Hutchenson Jr. (Shodan),
Vetus McCray (Ikkyu) and Stanley Arakawa (Sankyu). Also, we
would work out with other military Judo clubs on the island and
became friends with the Kadena Judo Club. Robey Reed,
well known Air Force Judo competitor, was at Kadena at the
time, but was leaving for an assignment in Japan.

In 1962, while in training for
the 5th Air Force Championships, I spent several days studying
at the Kodokan and then the next week attended the
Championships. We used the 5-bad point system then and
even though winning my first three matches, two were decisions
to pickup two bad points. Then I lost for 3 bad points
and as eliminated.

Small things to remember:
to keep track of our progress at shiai they would issue us a
thin wooden name placard to hang on the wall to signify
attendance and would moved all the placards around to know
where we stood in the competition – similar to a score
board. It was especially informative for them because our
names were hard for them to pronounce or read in other than
Japanese or Okinawan (they used two languages) so we would hold
on to the placards for future shiai or some event where our
names were needed.

1962 - 5th Air Force
Championships. LEFT: "Butsy" Wrye and Jim
Hatch after workout and RIGHT: where I scored Ippon on an
opponent with my tokui waza, hidari SeoiOtoshi

OKINAWA KARATE

Okinawa is the birthplace of
Okinawa-te ("Okinawa Ti"), or Okinawa-hands,
eventually called, Karate -- the Art of Empty Hand
Combat. Not wishing to lose the opportunity, I then
sought out a teacher of this art and found Okinawa’s premier
Karate Teacher, Shoshin Nagamine,who founded the Kodokan Nagamine Karate Dojo in Naha was very well known. I would spend many hours at
practice there until attaining the rank of Shodan in the school
of Okinawan Matsubayashi-ryu
Karate-do. Also, Nagamine issued us a wooden placard with our
name and rank on it so we would hang it up on that dojo wall to
signify that we were in attendance. Some months before
that, late 1961, his son was awarded Shodan and is now the head
of the dojo and ranked Judan (10th dan). Since we did not
compete in shiai or kumite events the wooded placard was for
the dojo use only. When I was awarded Shodan in May 1962
and the certificate was in the form of a scroll and when I left
Okinawa Nagamine sensei used my name placard to cover a small
wooden box with the scroll in it for a keepsake.
Unfortunately the box and scroll were lost in 1971 and never
returned to me. Nagamine sensei passed away in 1997
at the age of 90. The Kodokan Nagamine Karate Dojo opened in January 1953 and was closed 60 years later in December 2013.

Since many of the karate members
and Nagamine sensei had practiced Judo then and in the past we
would occasionally take some time out to relax and randori
together on the dojo wooden floor! One can learn a lot
about falling ways on those old wooden tongue and grove floors,
but they were not as hard as one might expect. The dojo
floors appeared to be laid on floor joists that were limber and
had some give to it, so it was not like a solid floor over a
hard surface. From photos I gather since my days there
that the floor had been replaced with Vanier flooring as
illustrated in the image above.

R.I.P. TAKAYOSHI NAGAMINE

Takayoshi Nagamine (August 12, 1945-
April 27, 2012), son of sensei Shoshin Nagamine, was one of my
friends and dojo mates under his father in the early 1960’s.
I remember him as an energetic person who was a little abrupt
but funny.

Since Miyazato
sensei was President of the Okinawan Judo federation the U.S.
Air Force would invite him to accompany the Air Force Judo Team
from Okinawa to Japan when we needed a coach. He liked
that because it was a free trip to Japan to see relatives and
catch up on politics. He was a very good Judoka as
well as Goju-ryu karate master. I remember once he drove
me to his new dojo in north side of Naha and allowed me to
train there for an hour or so. After that I would go up
once a week to train and learn from him. Goju is a very
different type of karate that I was used to and I was usually
drained of energy after practice. At any rate I would never
practice Matsubayashi-ryu or Goju-ryu karate formerly at
a dojo again. Miyazato sensei passed away in
1999.

While stationed at Westover AFB,
Massachusetts (Strategic Air Command) my time was limited so I
didn’t practice but a few times there. Other Judo people at
Westover were Sam Williams, Ronald Hubbard (see placard below;
Judo Olympic Tryout), Jerry Cassell, Guy Coachman, Paul Shaffer
and Ed Meade, and more. The Judo club at Westover was a very
active club and was visited by many of the great American Judo
players of that time. I worked out whenever I was at the base
but that was not frequent due to the TDY trips. One of
the Curtis-Wright Tech reps for the B52 Simulator section was
Judo player, Nidan, and we would practice together after work
during those brief periods that I was at the home base. He
broke my little toe on the mat! Cannot remember his
name. Ronald Hubbard was in the 1964 Olympic tryouts, but
according to some people his wife put a stop to
that.

1964 Olympic Tryout Placard

It must have been bad luck to
return to the USA then because only a couple of months later,
in October 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis erupted and the wing
commander told us that "we were target number one for the
USSR, so think in terms of being expendable!" That
was a scary time, especially for a military person on a SAC
base. Then and only one other time did I watch every
B-52, KC-97 and KC-135 take off, with all bombers taking off
within fifteen minutes. We were sure the end of days were at hand. Things calmed down
and we more or less forget about it. It did delay deployment of
the B-52 mobile simulator until January 1963 Also, the Air
Force extended our enlistments and after that I decided to stay
in for another enlistment.

In January 1963 I went on the B52 mobile simulator to Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio finding my old friend, Preston Pugh, who was an instructor at the Kittyhawk Judo Club (from 1955 to 2000, Ref: Russ Scherer, Kettering Recreation Center Judo Club, Dayton, OH). The facility was housed in the old Civilian Club that had been built before the Second World War! He and I were at the Kodokan and various Judo tournaments together in Okinawa and Japan. The mat area was on the stage of the big club and eventually the Judo club bought the place and made a 100x30-foot Judo mat on the main dance floor of the club. During those years Bill Powell was the head instructor at the Judo club. Each three month period we would return to Wright-Patterson for one month to train B-52 air crew members and I would always find time for a good workout at the Judo club. The mobile simulator would be located for a month at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; and then a month at Turner AFB, Georgia and a month at McCoy AFB, Florida.

In late July and early August 1963 I attended the Armed Forces Judo Training Camp at the Denver School of Judo and we all stayed at Lowey AFB, Colorado (see the photo below). In order to attend the Judo Training Camp I made a deal with my NCOIC to volunteer for a special assignment and later in August I was sent to Vietnam TDY until October 15 to install a C-123 simulator somewhere south of Saigon. Many of the participants in the photo are still friends and we correspond regularly. Some of the Judoka in the photo above are: George Harris (Back row, 3rd from left), Jerry Hays (back row, 11th from left), me (back row, 4th from right), Tosh Seino (kneeling, 8th from left). I remember that someone there gave me a head butt and broke my nose.

The First Armed Forces Judo Training Camp at
the Denver School of Judo for the 1963 Armed Forces Team in
late July and early August 1963. We stayed at Lowry Air Force
Base. I am standing 4th from right.

Soon after that I returned to the USA and was on the road for the rest of 1963 and most of 1964. Then I returned to Westover for NCO school in November 1964. Our mobile simulator was also located at Turner AFB, Georgia and I practiced at their club and have forgotten all the names, except for sensei John Sinclair (Nidan). Judo activity was only once or twice a week. John also had Judo club at YMCA in Albany. It was a good club and I learned well. The next location was at McCoy AFB, Florida and it was not a great place for Judo, I think a guy named Charles Brown was the instructor there and my time was limited so I didn't practice but once there.

Much of my time from mid-1962
until leaving the U.S. Air Force in early 1968 I traveled
extensively and missed training or tournaments, so my record is
incomplete to say the least. In early 1964 I rushed to
base operations to catch a flight out to the mobile simulator
at McCoy AFB in Orlando, Florida and had arranged with one of
our simulator instructors to swear me in for
re-enlistment. He was a fine officer and was kind enough
to drop of my papers to headquarters. Off I flew into the
blue yonder as a career Air Force NCO. While I missed the
necessary training the various air bases I traveled to offered
me the opportunity to meet Judoka all over the USA and that was
more important in my training that going to
tournaments.

In February 1965 I was
transferred to Bergstrom AFB, (Austin) Texas.
Finding the base gym was next door to the simulator department
I met Harold "
Robby" Robinson (Nidan) who
was the head Judo instructor and settled in with his club. From
that day on I practiced regularly many times per week and
attended many other Judo activities in the area. We attended
the 2nd Air Force Judo Championships at Barksdale AFB, LA soon
after I arrived there; however; since I had little or no time
for training my successes were limited and I was eliminated for
competition after two decision wins and a loss.

It was nice to finally meet the sensei of
my former Naha AB Judo friends, Robby Robinson, who had
attended the SAC-ARDC Self-Defense Training program
(Combative Measures Training) in 1964. It seems
like many of the Judoka of the 1950’s and 1960’s followed
similar paths.

One of our members of the Bergstrom Judo Club
was Wayne Atkins; three time Texas State Judo Champion. He was
a civil servant working on Bergstrom AFB and also one of the
local stock car drivers. Wayne was a great friend and is
standing second from left in the back row of the photo
below. Also, pictured in the image below are Rick Mertens
and Gerry Reid.

1957 Air Force Judo Team from Bergstrom
AFB, Texas

Roy "Pop" Moore, Sr.,
foster father to Mel Bruno - the father of Air Force Judo, had
a dojo in Austin where we would work out occasionally. Roy was
a student of the founder of Judo, J. Kano. He was around 75
years old at the time but as strong as a bull and a master Judo
teacher. The Bergstrom club had a going away party for
"Pop" when he retired and moved away.

Retirement event at Bergstrom AFB, TX for
Roy "Pop" Moore.

Robby recommended me for Shodan
in May of 1965, so I relented and accepted the promotion and
was certified in September 1965. Maybe promotions were
low on my priority list.

Bergstrom Judo Club Promotion Certificate

Kodokan rank certificate,
membership card and JBBF membership card.

Many of our club members were
B52 and KC135 crew members who joined in the activities after
having combative measures training by Robby. In addition,
several of Austin’s policemen were members of the club. Our
club was very large and work out was nearly every evening and
during the daytime on weekends. A booster club had formed to
sponsor many of our activities. Our club participated with area
Judo clubs and several of Austin’s community
activities.

Our club participated in many of
the local activities around Austin and nearby towns. Such
activities included teaching or demonstrating Judo and Karate
in nearby schools and community centers, as well as during
Armed Forces Day at Bergstrom. Our club was awarded
"Largest Judo Club in the AFJA" during 1965 and 1966.
We had class every week day evening and on Saturday, or a
tournament on many weekends.

Rick Mertens and Robby Robinson (with
Rick’s two sons) at the Bergstrom Base Gym and Judo Club in
1965.

Austin Police Judo class while
at Bergstrom AFB, Texas in 1965. The guy standing to the left
was a detective with the Austin Vice and Narcotics and I am
standing close to center under the basketball net. The guy on
the left and on the mat just in front the standing cop was
Billy Speed -- who was shot to death by Charles Whitman on the
Texas Tower.

Austin Police Judo class while at
Bergstrom AFB, Texas in 1965

This was at the beginning of the
class and by the next year we had many more students from the
Police department. The Police also had special tournaments and
would train at our club. Our club was awarded to largest Judo
club in the world for 1965 and 1966. Much of our success in
building it was the cops and SAC bomber crew members. We had
many of them in Judo class and they were required to take out
combative measures classes (hand-to-hand combat).

One evening after we had been at
a Judo and karate demonstration with KNOW Spinners basketball
team my wife, June, and I returned to our apartment at 22nd St,
Austin, Texas and were jumped by two teenagers. I fought them
off and they ran. I also was the assistant Karate instructor
for Bergstrom AFB’s Tony Lasit
(Yodan) who represented the Kajukenbo Karate Association. I was
awarded honorary Black Belt in Kajukenbo. Tony had studied
under the originator of Kajukenbo, Emperiado and Kenpo with a
man named Professor Chow in Hawaii. Tony is the Godfather of
our son, Donny, who is a U.S. Naval Officer. Both Tony
sifu, Robby sensei and this author are still in contact with
each other after more than four decades.

Our Judo student and my soon to be wife,
Martha June Willeford in the spring of 1965.

My wife, June, was a student at
the Bergstrom Judo Club and learned the fundamentals of Kodokan
Judo as well as officiating and club management. She
always was there to help me run the clubs over the years and
actually was in charge of the administration of all my Judo
club activates for the next four decades. While our son
was only a year or two old during 1966 he was too young to
participate in Judo activities we never the less started him
off with some basic activities.

LEFT: Me standing on flight line during 1966
Armed Forces Day. RIGHT: The kajukenbo kenpo class at
Bergstrom led by Tony Lasit. A few of Tony’s first students
to be promoted where John Bowen, Ed Burns, James Calvo, Joe
Cappell, Dennis Kijanski, John Mitvalsky, and Don
Postell.

I was assigned to the B52 Mobile Simulator and
was required to be TDY every few months. I would work out at
the base clubs wherever we traveled. Once, while TDY to
Columbus AFB, Mississippi I was invited to join in workouts at
a small Judo club that had just started. They were interested
in joining the AFJA so I registered the whole club. Several
bases have small clubs and workouts were scarce. The only
tournament I could participate in was a total loss for me so I
decided to quit competing and just help Robby teach the
classes. During my entire Judo career training for
competition was never available to me because of the extensive
traveling from air base to base. Maybe competition for me
was never meant to be. While on the road trips I would drop in
on Jerry Reid’s Carswell AFB Judo club and work out with his
students. Jay Cooper was one of the instructors at Carswell and
I became friends.

Strategic Air Command (SAC) was
moved their operations away from Bergstrom AFB and most of us
were transferred to other SAC bases during the latter part of
1966. In September 1966 I was transferred to Carswell AFB,
Texas. Jerry Reid was the head Judo Instructor at Carswell and
was assisted by Jay Cooper. Also, one of the Physical
Conditioning specialists, Ray Nadeau, who was a Judo Shodan
would help out a little when I would be on travel time, but was
not really very reliable. Jerry retired from the Air Force
shortly after I joined his club and Jay was transferred to
another base assignment, so I took control of the club. I also
started teaching Judo at the Carswell Youth club.

The KC-135 simulator arrived and
I was assigned back to the simulator shop. We began TDY trips
again to the KC-135 Mobile Simulator to Barksdale AFB, LA and
other bases. Rick Mertens and George Emert were the instructors
at the Judo club there. I worked out whenever possible and
would help George down at LSU occasionally with his Judo
clubs. Several TDY trips to Clinton-Sherman AFB, Oklahoma
was nice when I found a former Judo friend and tournament
opponent (cannot remember his name). Also, I worked out
at the Little Rock AFB Judo Club with J.D. Jones and others
that I had met at Barksdale AFB in early 1965 at the 2nd. Air
Force Championships.

Since I was TDY much of the time
and did not have an assistant the club just dwindled away. I
did have good contact with Ace Sukigara, who lived in Fort
Worth after he was discharged from the Air Force. Ace and I were
competitors before and very good friends. I assisted him with
his club; however, the TDY trips limited my club activities. I
left the Air Force in February 1968 and lost contact with all
the members of that club..

1967 AFJA/JBBF Club Charter for Carswell
AFB Judo club.

During On the Job Training (OJT)
for the 7-level testing the Air Force offered trainees the
Capital Radio Engineering Institute (CREI) Electronic
Engineering Technology. Since I had nearly completed my
associates degree this set me up to finished the credit hours
needed. My college hours were piling up. Received an
Associates Degree in Electronics Engineering with the
University of Maryland, the U.S. Air Force Institute (USAFI),
and the Capital Radio Engineering Institute (CREI) during first
four years in U.S. Air Force. Received the Bachelors of Science
Degree in Electrical Engineering with Capital Radio Engineering
Institute (CREI) /New York Institute of Technology (NYIT). This
university is currently the Capital University in Washington,
DC. Majoring in Electronics Engineering Science for
Industrial Automatic Control and Computer Control Systems
(Computer Science).

In February 1968 I left the U.S.
Air Force and moved to Binghamton, New York as an engineer for Link
Aviation. I worked out at the Binghamton YMCA with my son
and at
Hidi Otoshi Judo/Karate club. After several field
assignments I was reassigned as a Project Engineer for Air
Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory, the Air Force Research and
Development Command, Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio where I
returned to the Kittyhawk Judo Club that had grown to the
largest club in the United States and was assigned a junior
instructor.

The Kittyhawk junior class had over a hundred members that practiced three times per week. John Powell (Sandan), Johnny Barton (Nidan), Ernie Curry (Shodan), Joan Millay (Shodan), Bonny Corte (Shodan), Dave Thorne (Shodan), Dana Rogers (Shodan), Judy Baker (shodan) and others. After Judo was not scheduled in the 1968 Olympics the American Judo team dropped by Kittyhawk on tour and worked out with the seniors at the club. There at least a dozen Judoka on the team; however, I remember only Rene Zeelenberg, Rene Pomerelle, and Paul Maruyama.

We would also meet with the Lockbourne AFB, Judo Club in Columbus Ohio where Dean Tower had moved to and would have small tournaments with his team. I met Dean at Kadena AFB before I left for the States and we became friends. I left the junior class with a worthy assistant, a USAF 2nd Lt and brown belt, name long forgotten.

My wife, June, returned to Judo practice at the Kittyhawk Judo Club under the instruction of Joan Millay, Judy Baker, Bonny Corte and Sue McConnell, some of the top USA female Judoka. June would assist me at times with the junior class and took care of the class administration work. Our son, Donny (USJA LM-1009), actually began formal Judo class during 1969 in my Kittyhawk classes and would continue to practice after that. Sometime during 1969 I had the opportunity to reacquaint a friendship with Kotani sensei, from the Kodokan, while he visited our Judo club and I had not met with him since 1966. Also, Fukuda sensei accompanied Kotani sensei and gave kata demonstrations and instruction to the women Judoka at the club. Both Kotani and Fukuda sensei were eventually promoted to Judan (10th degree).

After leaving the U.S. Air Force in early 1968 I was a civilian contractor at various Navy and Air Force installations. Some local Judoka approached me to join the regional yudanshikai, so I remained with the AFJA and JBBF as well. Since my travels left me out of the loop of Judo news and politics it kind of passed me up but by mid-1969 Rick Mertens wrote me asking if I would like to become a Life Member in the newly formed USJA. Yes, I paid and went on traveling, but had lost contact with the JBBF that had become the USJF by then and was no longer an official member.

My AFJA Life Membership Certificate;
issued October 1969

During the autumn of 1969 the company reassigned me back to Binghamton to wait for another field assignment. After a brief time with American Airlines I was assigned to Bremgarten AB, Germany as Field Engineer for RF4E Flight Simulator for the German Air Force. We lived in Germany for a year and a half. Bremgarten is south west of Freiburg in a small town of Eshbach. German airman worked out in Judo at their gym and also in Freiburg where we visited two Judo clubs, one at the University of Freiburg. While my practice sessions were not frequent they never the less welcomed me several times a month while living there.

Back to the USA

Returning to New York I went back to Hidi Otoshi's karate/Judo club and would work out occasionally there until January 1973 when we moved to Miami, Florida. From March 1973 through January 1978 I was head instructor in several Judo clubs and trained thousands of students, assisted several other instructors in the area as well. I established several Judo clubs in the Dade Country Community School system and helped to found several other clubs here in the area. During the mid-1970's I became cofounder of the first all black Judo Club in Miami, the Carver Judo Club, and signed the instructor's recommendation to Shodan. The club is still operating.

Dade County Community School System,
Miami, Florida

From early in 1973 I began to assist
teaching in local Judo clubs beginning with the Kolligian Judo
Clubs, Miami, Florida (February 1973 - March 1975, Assistant
Instructor). I created several Judo clubs after that and
founded the Sylvania JudoClub, Miami,
Florida (February 1974 - March 1975), the Silver Bluff Judo
Club, Miami, Florida (March 1974 – February 1977, and replaced
Leonard J. Vieira (LM897) at the Homestead AFB Judo Club, Florida (January
1976 - January 1978), and was affiliated with the Pensacola
Area Judo Clubs, Florida as Assistant Coach/Instructor under
the care of Harold G. ("Robby") Robinson
(Godan).

Sylvania Judo Club, Miami, Florida
(February 1974 - March 1975)

Silver Bluff Judo Club, Miami, Florida
(March 1974 - February 1977.

During one of Rick Merten’s
visits with us in Miami he signed papers for my promotion to
Sandan, but I forgot to send in the recommendation and with the
fee. Later on Robby signed my papers for sandan and he
reminded to be sure and to pay the fee. Promotions to me
have always been like vapor-paper and meant little for my
enjoyment of Judo.

Rick and Nancy Mertens in the
1990’s.

Due to working on the night shift schedule my time was limited during the day light time, so my wife, June, took care of many of the club activities and at times would fill in for me as sensei. She was often called "Mrs. Sensei" by the younger students and she recalls those days as fond memories. During the 1975 USJA Junior National
Championships she replaced me as team coach and chaperon and
then accompanied the team to Decatur, Illinois. Our son,
Donny (USJA LM-1009), would continue Judo during 1973 until
1979 and would become a noted Judo competitor who would attend
the 1975 USJA Nationals.

Donny (USJA LM-1009) and Natalie Beish
taken in November 1974.

In all the years of assisting
and teaching Judo only one Judo student was injured at a club I
was involved in and that happened one evening when I was late
arriving at Sylvania Judo Club and found one of the teenage
Judoka lying on the mat. One of he adults had a fan
blowing on her and the girl, who was normally must darker
complexion, appeared white as a sheet. She had rolled out
and hit her shoulder hard, and broken her collarbone! I
immediately turned off the fan, found a blanket and applied CPR
– she as in shock! The EMT came and off she went to
the hospital.

That very day I ran into one of
the soccer and tennis coaches, Tim Foley – who was a Cornerback
for the Miami Dolphins football team – who volunteered to help
me out with some adult CPR classes. He was a qualified
CPR instructor and arranged for a class where my assistant Judo
instructors and some school officials and parents
attended. I had no idea that many of these people knew
next to nothing about CPR or how to handle someone in
shock. After that I would train the Judo instructors in
kappo (Japanese), the old Judo art of Resuscitation.
Black belts were required to understand a certain amount of
kappo; at least to aid those who had been choked or kicked in
the family jewels.

Four of my Judo clubs in Dade County
during the 1970’s.

Some winners from Silver-Bluff Judo Club
in mid-1970’s.

Some older winners from Silver-Bluff Judo
Club in late-1970’s.

During those years from early
1973 until mid-1978 I supervised many of the area Judo
activities such as arranging and hosting Judo clinics by some
of the USJA officials and directed many Judo
tournaments.

While attending the USJA Board meeting in
Bossier City, Louisiana in January 1976 I decided to quit Judo
because of the growing power of politicians and opportunists
within the organization. It took me another couple of years to
finally realize that Judo was not the same as I had learned it
and that certain powers were about the crush the USJA and take
over control. While the USJA experienced bad financial times
during the mid-1990’s the organization is still very much alive
and well. Also, with my working schedule (midnight to
eight a.m.) my health was taking a beating and finally my
doctor suggested that I take up something less time consuming
and less stressful or find a new job in the day time.
Working all night, then trying to officiate in a tournament was
just too much for me because once while refereeing I actually
fell asleep standing up. A corner judge noticed I was not
moving and the contestants were waiting to return fighting, I
just stood there like a straw man. It was time to give up
that part of Judo.

Judo politics in Dade County
Florida had always been raging and it seemed to get worse as
the years went by. Much of the friction that germinated
in the Judo community was misunderstanding between the USJF and USJA and also between the
Cuban-Americans and the non-Hispanic Judo instructors.
For several years some of the clubs in the county north of Dade
would not invite clubs from Dade County because of ill will and
friction that had been building up for years. Since most
of my students were of Cuba-American decent this became a
source of irritation and grief for me as their sensei and
coach. Also, my working all night caused me to be less
alert and at times I would be just too tired to officiate in
tournaments and other activities.

USJA Judo Instructors in Miami, FL -- 1970's Workout and Clinic

As time passed it became unbearable to continue with running the Judo clubs and trying to keep peace within the Judo community in south Florida, so I gave up. The Judo politics that nearly ruined it all for us became so bad by 1980 that I walked away from the Judo organizations and formal teaching. During those days I became acquainted with Jack Williams (7th dan) who ran the local USJF organization and we became friends. Jack hinted that I would be welcome in the USJF; however, my days in Judo were over so that was the way I left that conversation.

Old Jeff at 50 years old in black
karategi doing unknown kata.

After leaving Bergstrom AFB,
Texas in late 1966 I would occasionally drop in on the Judo
club and visit with my old friend Robby Robinson. He was
transferred to Offutt AFB Nebraska later in 1967 and then
returned to Bergstrom later on for a brief period before being
transferred to an Air Force base in Thailand, then to Vietnam
and to Hawaii and places unknown to me. I lost contact
with him after that and it would take 22 years before we were
reunited. He had moved to Pensacola, Florida sometime in
the 1980’s and while reading a Florida Judo newsletter saw my
name listed as Judo club contact in Miami and called me.
Just by coincidence it was a few days before our 23rd wedding
anniversary and that Robby had been our best man back in 1965,
so we flew up to meet him and reestablished our
friendship.

Old friend and best man at our wedding,
Robby Robinson and me. LEFT in 1988 and RIGHT in
2002.

After that Robby moved to Korea
and stayed in contact with us. He then moved to
California for a few years and then to Germany where he
continued establishing Judo clubs. A few years later he
returned to Thailand for several years then returned to
Pensacola, Florida where he lives today with his
family.

The last time I practiced Judo
in a formal setting was during October 1988 at a clinic held in
Stuart, Florida with Phil Porter, Walter Dean, Harold Forshey, Robby
Robinson and others. I continued to practice Judo at a
few clubs around the county until sometimes in 1989 when I just
gave up due to health problems and lost interest.

After several years of strife
between Eastern AL and the Unions a strike was called during
February 1989 and the company declared chapter 13 a few days
later, so the Eastern airlines came to an end in early March
1989. I had already prepared for that end and had interviewed
for a job with the United States Naval Observatory (USNO) a few months
earlier. After waiting several months I was then employed
by the USNO Time Service Station (NOTAS) after working for
Eastern Airlines for 16 years. After 7 years the Miami
Time Service Station was closed and in September 1996 we moved
to Dale City, Virginia where I worked at the USNO in
Washington, D.C. until retiring in May 2001 and we moved back
to Florida, only this time is was in central
Florida.

Our son had been in the U.S.
Navy for 12 years when he applied and was accepted to Officers
Candidate School in Pensacola NAF, Florida and graduated as a
Ensign in May 2000 and has now served for more than twenty
years. Recently he was promoted LCDR (O-4). In 2002 he
was stationed at Atsugi NAF, Japan at the time so we traveled
to visit with them in March 2002 to visit him and his family,
and to meet with a group of astronomers that I know. We
toured an observatory in Yokohama and finished the day at a
Chinese restaurant in China
Town. Our son took us to visit the Kodokan in Tokyo. We also
visited a nearby Judo club where my son worked out
occasionally.

While visiting the Kodokan
Museum and Library I talked with Naoki Murata (Curator of the
Kodokan Judo Museum and Library) for at least an hour. I
mentioned attending the SAC/ARDC Combative Measures course and
other events at the Kodokan in the early 1960’s; whereby he
remembered being there at the time and had assisted Kotani and
other sensei occasionally with the classes. We had a
great time reminiscing about the “old days” in Judo and shook
hands, and bowed, to our new or renewed friendship.

Photograph of Kodokan as it appear today
(2002).

Trip to Japan and visit to Kodokan.
LEFT: me beside statue of Jigoro Kano during March 18,
2002. RIGHT: main dojo floor as seen from balcony seating
section.

June and me in Kodokan Museum (March
2002)

After a three year tour of duty
in Japan he was transferred to San Diego, California where he
was assigned to the aircraft carrier Nimitz. During July
2005 we flew to San Diego, CA to see our son and his family and
were invited to visit with the North Island Judo Club. An old
Judo friend from the 1960’s, Jerry Hays, sent instructions to
find the dojo. We arrived to meet new Judo friends and
from the past; Chuck Neuendorf, Dr. AnnMaria (Rousey) De
Mars, Joe Ciokon (Public Affairs Officer for the USS MIDWAY Museum), Jerry Hays, Bruce Knight and Gene Reid,
Jim Parker, Matt Ozaki, Roy Moore, Jr. and Bob Spreter.
Dr. AnnMaria De Mars won a gold medal at 1984 World Judo
Championships and mother of the famous Ronda Rousey . Roy Moore, seen in the photo below, is Roy “Pop”
Moore’s son (see the above photo:” Retirement event at
Bergstrom AFB, TX for Roy "Pop" Moore).

Two of the Judoka shown in this
photo, Jerry Hays and me, also appear in the 1963 Armed Forces
Judo Training Camp at the Denver School of Judo. My son,
seen in the above image on the right, continued Judo on and off
since the 1970’s. Our son, Lieutenant Don Beish,
served on board the Nimitz and in 2006 then made a journey to
Army Camp Eggers, Kabul, Afghanistan to serve a six month tour
there. He returned to San Diego in the last week of
September 2006. So far he has had five tours in and around the
war zones of the Middle East. Donald Beish was promoted to Lt.
Commander on June 1, 2009 and served a year in Bahrain (in
February 1, 2010 - March 1, 2011) and then retired from the
Navy after 22.5 years. He also is on contract in Camp Eggers
near Kabul, Afghanistan for 6 months.

All the years of Judo practice,
sometimes intermittent, the most important aspect of it all was
having fun and meeting with friends. While I never
reached any milestones in competition I did try occasionally to
participate in tournaments, both as a competitor and as an
official. After the last tournament in 1966 my forte was
teaching Judo at the many clubs that I visited or created over
the years. From the early Air Force days to the present I
still maintain contact with many of my old Judo friends and
participate on Internet discussions about Judo and the other
Martial Arts I participated in, usually in the history
departments, but try to keep up with current
events. Judo runs deep into our blood and it is
hard to forget even after years of being away from
it. In “feeling sorry for myself” periods my wife
reminds me of the thousands of Judoka I taught over the years
and then it all is better. The one thing in life that
will never let you down is having friends and hopefully
students that still remember old sensei.

Many of my friends and
associates in Judo are gone now and many have retired, never to
be heard from again. Their memories will forever be
burned into my mind. They helped to shape the character
of thousands of people and in a way they fulfilled the dreams
of the founder of Judo, Jigoro Kano, who created a Way for
people to use their human strengths and knowledge to benefit
mankind.

Miscellaneous tie/lapel pins and belt
buckle gifts from past. Top-left:
Given to me by Mas Yamashita at Kodokan in 1960.
Top-center: given to me by Kotani
sensei at Kodokan in 1961. Belt
buckle given to me by Mas Yamashita.
Bottom left to right: AFJA pin
(1960), next AFJA 5-year pin (1965), USJA pins and NJI
pin. RIGHT PANEL: AFJA Lighter from the 1960's.

USJA Necklace and Judo Key Chain

During the days when my Judo
activity was waning, my interest in astronomy increased.
While on a tour of Miami sometimes during February 1973 we
visited the Miami Museum and Space Transit Planetarium. I
met several of the local amateur astronomers there and was
impressed with their astronomy club and observatory on the
roof. The invited me to return and join their group, so I
did. Some of my astronomy interest led me to a new job in
1989 and I went to work for the U.S. Naval Observatory at the
Time Service Station nearby. For a more complete
story of this new endeavor, see Radio_Dish
and My
Observatory.

The Time Service Station was
closed in August 1996 and the U.S. Naval Observatory
transferred me to their Washington stations in September. We
then moved to Dale City, Virginia. While at the USNO in DC is
would visit the weight training room in the Secret Service
office, close to the U.S. Vice President’s home, and worked out
with a couple of Judoka that were interested in some of my old
jujitsu and karate ideas. I had to curtail that activity due to
my bad knees that were deteriorating as a fast pace. In May
2001 I retired from Federal Service and we moved to Lake
Placid, Florida. My formal Martial Arts activities came to an
end, except that I now participate on several Internet Martial
Arts discussion forums and frequent conversations with my old
friend, Robby Robinson, who is still active in the Armed Forces Judo-Jujitsu Academy (ASJJA) in
Pensacola, Florida.

It seems like it has been just
one life time that ago I walked into that YMCA and found a Judo
class in session. I was only 11, going on 12 years old,
and began a life in the Martial Arts that took me away from my
country boy background. While my first few years were hit
and miss, at times skipping months between practices, the
interest that my first Judo sensei tendered to me and instilled
within me has lasted for nearly six decades. The
sensei after that until I joined the U.S. Air Force are but a
wisp of memory now; however, meeting Mas Yamashita in boot camp
revived my interest in Judo and that time it was for
real. We partnered up for the next two years and
practiced Judo at a variety of dojos in and out of the
USA. He left in late 1961 or early 1962 and after a few
letter exchanges I lost complete contact with him.

Judo in Austin, Texas was nearly
a 24/7 activity for 18 months until I had to move away. We were
at some dojo almost daily and even on weekends when most people
had a different life. The time spent in Austin, Texas
will never be forgotten and would take too many words to
express on paper all the fond memories of that time in my life.
So, this will be the place to finish my personal Judo career
and write some brief history of how Judo was introduced to the
U.S. Air Force.

Writing an autobiography has
proven to be very difficult and being objective is even more
difficult. Personal bias and faulty memory often results
in creative thinking, especially those memories of bad times,
so my attempts here have been to be as honest and factual as
can be. Looking at my time in Judo all I can say is that
most of the time was for recreation and fun, with occasional
periods of competing without much success. After returning the
USA from Okinawa my Judo skills diminished and training time
was almost zero, so my tournament days would only be for fun
and just a chance of winning. Recreational Judo has
always been my forte and for that I will forever be thankful to
the people who taught me and became my friends.

Prior to joining the U.S. Air
Force I practiced Judo at YMCA in Charlotte, North Carolina May
1952 through April 1953. Then during the summer from 1953 until
May 1955 I practiced Judo with the Jr. High School wrestling
coach. After that I practiced Judo intermittently through
late-1955 until May 1959 at the Boy’s Club in Knoxville,
TN.

Date: 01
March - 06 April 1960Location: Lackland AFB, TexasDojo: Lackland Judo Club (ATC Judo
Association)Sensei: Masato J. Yamashita (Shodan), SSGT
Linan (Nidan)Promotions: Rokyu 15 March 1960Remarks: One of the drill instructors was a
black belt in Judo and introduced me to several Judoka. We did
light workouts. Masato J. Yamashita was in the same squadron in
basic training and we became friends. Boot camp was not the
place for serious Judo workouts or making
friends.

Date: 07
April - 22 November 1960Location: Chanute AFB, IllinoisDojo: Chanute Judo Club (ATC Judo
Association)Sensei: Masato J. Yamashita (Shodan)Promotions: Yonkyu 01 May 1960,
Sankyu 01 JUN 1960 (AJA #60-3).Remarks: We both were then transferred to
Flight Simulator School at Chanute AFB, IL where we both joined
the base Judo club. We practiced at the club and together when
time permitted and participated in club Ko Haku shiai. We
finished up the remaining basic training and began flight
simulator (training devices) school. Rick Mertens in for
clinic, date unknown.

Awards: All
Okinawan Sportsmanship Award (July 1961)Special Training: Kodokan Judo Institute,
Tokyo, Japan: Attended Judo training on various dates during
1961 and 1962. During my stay at the Kodokan for a week or two
while visiting Japan or participating in Judo tournaments I
would spend time at the Kodokan for training or to watch. I
also trained and lived at the old Kodokan, and trained at the
Tokyo Police training center. In March of 1962 I spent three
weeks at the Kodokan while at the 5th. Air Force Judo
Championships and attended training sessions with Kotani Sensei
and his foreign students. I was made Ikkyu there in
1961.Special Training: SAC/ARDC Combative Measures
5-week course at Kodokan (August 1961).Promotions: Nikyu (skipped),
Ikkyu 15 JAN 1961 (PACAF/AFJA/JBBF K-1603 ).Promotions: Shodan, 01 May 1962 Nagamine
Karate Dojo.REMARKS: Working conditions made it possible
for mew to participate in numerous Judo activities,
tournaments, and training programs. Judo practice was nearly
every day. I joined the PACAF Judo Association and the Air
Force Judo Association.

Date: 03
August 1962 - 31 January 1965Location: Westover AFB, MADojo: Westover Judo Club (AFJA/JBBF)Sensei: Sam Williams (Yodan), Ronald Hubbard
(Sandan), James Jarvis (Sandan).Remarks: I was TDY most of the time while
stationed at Westover and practiced Judo there when time
permitted and three other Air Force bases while TDY: Turner
AFB, GA, McCoy AFB, FL, and Wright-Patterson AFB,
OH.

Dates:
January 1963, July 1963, December 1963, March 1964, June 1964,
October 1964.Location: Wright-Patterson AFB, OHDojo: Kittyhawk Judo Club (AFJA/JBBF)Sensei: Preston Pugh (Nidan), John Powell
(Sandan)Remarks: When the Kittyhawk Judo Club was
first formed in the stage in the auditorium of the
"Civilian Club" on one of the bases. Preston Pugh and
I were friends from Okinawa. The club started with mats on the
stage area and moved later out to the main
floor.

Dates:
October 1963, April 1964, August 1964Location: Turner AFB, GADojo: Turner AFB Judo ClubSensei: John Sinclair (Nidan).Remarks: Judo activity was only once or twice
a week. John also had Judo club at YMCA in
Albany.

Date: 19
September 1965 - 30 November 1965Location: Columbus AFB, MSDojo: Columbus AFB Judo Club
(AFJA/JBBF)Sensei: Bill Villafane (Shodan), Alton Beck
(Ikkyu).Remarks: I was TDY there and helped the club
register in the AFJA.

Dates: March
1965, September 1966, August 1967, January 1968.Location: Barksdale AFB, LADojo: Barksdale Judo Club (AFJA/JBBF)Sensei: Rick Mertens (Sandan), George Emert
(Nidan), John Preston (Sandan)Remarks: Occasionally worked out with Rick’s
club while TDY there. Visited U. of LA with George Emert once
and worked out with his students there.

Date: May
1966Location: Dyess AFB, TexasDojo: Dyess Judo Club (AFJA/JBBF)Sensei: Name forgotten, one was a competitor
in my weight class in SAC tournaments.Remarks: Was there only once and Judo practice
was only once or twice a week.

Date:
various dates in 1968 - 1969Location: Binghampton, NYDojo: Binghampton YMCA (USJA/JBBF)Sensei: Hidi Oshishi (Sandan).Remarks: Hidi was a karate teacher in
Binghamton; however, practiced Judo and had a club. Judo
practice was not frequent but when I was there between
assignments I would visit with Hidi or work out at the Y.M.C.A.
with my son.

Date:
November 1968 - September 1969Location: Wright-Patterson AFB, OHDojo: Kittyhawk Judo Club (AFJA/USJA)Sensei: John Powell (Sandan), Johnny Barton
(Nidan), Ernie Curry (Shodan), Joan Millay (Shodan), Bonny
Corte (Shodan), Dave Thorne (Shodan), Dana Rogers
(Shodan).Responsibilities: Head Instructor for
juniors.Awards: 1968 Largest Judo Club in the
AFJA, 1969 Largest Judo Club in the AFJA, Appreciation
Award for Service.Remarks: I returned to the Dayton area while
working at Wright Field. Judo club was very active and I took
over the junior class from Dana Rogers and Johnny Barton.
Several noted Judoka were members of this club and the U.S.
Olympic Team worked out at least twice while I lived in the
area. My assistant was a young Air Force Lieutenant (name
forgotten).

Date: March
1971-June 1972Location: Freiburg, Germany and Bremgarten AB,
GermanySensei: (name forgotten)Remarks: Worked out only a few times during my
stay in Germany with several black belts at a dojo in Frieburg.
I would do practice by myself at the simulator shop
frequently.

Date: July
1972 - January 1973Location: Binghamton, NYDojo: Binghamton YMCA (USJA/JBBF)Sensei: Hidi Oshishi (Sandan).Remarks: Hidi was a karate teacher in
Binghamton; however, practiced Judo and had a club. Judo
practice was not frequent but when I was there between
assignments I would visit with Hidi or work out at the Y.M.C.A.
with my son.

Date:
September 1976 - January 1977Location: Miami, FLDojo: Homestead Judo Club (USJA)Sensei: Len Vieira (Sandan) and Jeff Beish
(Sandan)Remarks: This was the last Judo club I
established and was very slow to get started. The officials at
the base did not seem to care if we had a Judo club there or
not. I was paid $9 per hour to teach Judo. After only four
months I gave up and retired from formally practicing
Judo.

Date: August
1988 - 1995Location: Miami, FLDojo: Pensacola Judo Club (USJA)Remarks: Just affiliated with this club
and did not practice Judo during this time.

Date: August
1996-2001Location: Dale City, VADojo: Armed Forces Judo Germany (USJA)Remarks: Just affiliated with this club
and did not practice Judo during this time.

Date: August
2001 - PresentLocation: Lake Placid, FLDojo: Pensacola Judo Club (USJA), Armed
Services Judo-Jujitsu Academy (ASJJA)Promotions: Club promotion to Rokudan 01
January 2006 Armed Services Judo (ASJJA), Shichidan, 01 August
2007 ASJJA.Remarks: Just affiliated with this club
and did not practice Judo during this time.